Name: STO
Location: Atlanta, Ga
Genre/s: Hip Hop
Label/Unsigned: Unsigned
Twitter
Born Michael O'kelly in Bronx N.Y during the crack epidemic, STO would grow up fast surrounded my drugs, parties and violence. After his mother fell under the spell of the street life STO was bounced around from one relative to another and because his father was now out of the picture. After getting back on her feet his mother moved STO and his younger brother to Harlem in 1992. It was here, under the direction of an older cousin that STO would pick up a mic and changes the course of his life forever.
Born Michael O'kelly in Bronx N.Y during the crack epidemic, STO would grow up fast surrounded my drugs, parties and violence. After his mother fell under the spell of the street life STO was bounced around from one relative to another and because his father was now out of the picture. After getting back on her feet his mother moved STO and his younger brother to Harlem in 1992. It was here, under the direction of an older cousin that STO would pick up a mic and changes the course of his life forever.
Check Out his Latest Single
"Lucky Me"
TMC: For those who unfamiliar, tell the people who STO is?STO: STO is a hip hop artist writer, producer and engineer. Originally from Bronx, N.Y now living in Atl Ga. Artist, founder and CEO of Golden Palace Entertainment LLC STO's music style is swagger oriented, sex driven, dipped in drugs and hung up in reality.
TMC: What does the name mean?STO: My named after the Human Torch of the fantastic 4. As I got older the name seemed to childish for me, so I changed it to just J. Storm. But then people would question what the J stood for anyway and by this time the movie has come so mfs would be like oh from the movie? Still trying to show off my youth I changed it to Yung Storm, but then that was so saturated I just dropped the yung off and kept storm. But I guess it wasn’t simple enough cause my homie started calling me S.T.O but on paper people would read STO so it just kinda stuck.
TMC: What was it about music that made you want to pursue as a career?STO: I originally got into music cause it was fun and cool. My moms is one of 11 children. My family was know on the block for throwing wild parties so music was always a part of me. I used to see Big L on the block we are from the same area and he was surrounded by a bunch of guys. I didn’t know who he was but my cousin told me he was a rapper, I thought it looked cool to be the center of attention like that. I started actually pursuing a career in music because I wanted to show the world my talent and I figured if I can do that and get rich at it can’t beat it. The more I get into music the more I respect the craft in all aspects from studio to stage and behind.
TMC: Name some people who influence you when it comes to music?STO: I have alot of influences musically. I can say the records that stand out to me the most as monuments in my music memories are joints like. World tour by Tribe, I remember having my tape walkman tryna loop a break in the record to rap to. Method mans All I need, was crazy for me visually. it was like ok you can tell a story too huh. The whole ready to die and Reasonable Doubt records scared me like wow ya know like I didn’t understand a lot of the material but I could repeat and as I aged I started to put together how complex the songs are its crazy like how do you get nice lol. A lot of southern artists like Outkast. T.I , pastor troy Luda showed me that attitude mixed with good lyrics can take you outta here.
TMC: Biggest Challenge or Greatest Achievement since you've been doing music?STO: My biggest challenge would have to be hands down being more sociable when it comes to networking around the business. Im sort of a private guy, I speak through my music so a lot of times is hard for me to put my ego and attitude aside and pick up a convo with somebody I don’t know, but its something that I have been working on at getting better at. Luckily I have a great team that makes it a little easier to get with the right people.
TMC: What is your favorite thing about being in the music industry?STO: My favorite thing about being in the music thing is the appreciation for the music you get sometimes from fellow artist and fans. I would love to say the check is but I mean I haven't made no real money yet so the love you get back from something you put your heart into to present to the world is the best right now.
TMC: What makes you stand out from all the other artists trying to come up?STO: I think my approach to each track is what makes me stand out like Im never the same guy almost from song to song, I can do a monotone slow flow, speed or chop it up all in one song. I think my cadence is very unique, like you know when you hear a Luda, or a TIP or a Busta verse you know when you hear a STO verse like even if you gave that same verse to a different artist it would not be the same. I think my story telling ability also sets me apart for other artist.
TMC: What's something people may not know about STO?
STO: Something people may not know about me. I hardly ever listen to rap music in my leisure. Im almost always listening to R&b. Im like infatuated with the female vocal. I love a strong vocalist like the late great who Whitney Houston who I think the world will never see another like her. I also like others like Mariah, Adele, Lauryn Hill, Etta James, Jennifer Hudon etc. I think the ability to sing is truly a gift from God and should be appreciated as such.
STO: Something people may not know about me. I hardly ever listen to rap music in my leisure. Im almost always listening to R&b. Im like infatuated with the female vocal. I love a strong vocalist like the late great who Whitney Houston who I think the world will never see another like her. I also like others like Mariah, Adele, Lauryn Hill, Etta James, Jennifer Hudon etc. I think the ability to sing is truly a gift from God and should be appreciated as such.
"SURVIVE"
$wag Jones
Check out the first track from the "Who Is $wag Jones?" series . An introduction to the world which will feature a flood of free downloads & mixtapes. On the dawn of an election, this is the campaign for the top spot.
Name/s: Dot Com , Dot Jones, .Com
Location: north carolina
Genre: hip hop/rock
Label/Unsigned: ssg official/ independent
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Location: north carolina
Genre: hip hop/rock
Label/Unsigned: ssg official/ independent
Youtube
TMC: For those who may not know you, tell the people who Dot Com is.
Dot Com: last year's carolina music award winner for best new artist and the fastest rising underground artist in the south ! one who was able to utilize the internet like no other and get this far without a budget or a professional team around him including a manager, all which is about to be taken care of.TMC: How exactly did you get that name Dot Com?
Dot Com: all about evolution i guess, my initial stage name was r-dot, then i dropped the "r" b/c there were so many, ex: j-dot, c-dot, b-dot ... then later while working as an internet repair tech, i started having fun with urls as a sneaky way to fool around w/o management catching on, for example i would type something like http://www.ihatethisdamnjob.com & no one would be able 2 even see what i typed , only those who knew what was up after they clicked the link ! there's alot more to it as well, but that's initially where it all began, then it just made sense, we live in the internet era , and i believe i am the future of hip hop & an example of how to make it in this day & age even if you don't have the funds or the professional help as long as you're able to utilize the net. TMC: What was it about being an artist that made you want to pursue it?
Dot Com: not one thing in particular, this is just my purpose in life so it was either pursue it or shift the stars lol
TMC: How do feel you a are a Unique Artist?
Dot Com: well specifically with rap artists, im unique due to my background, i came from a very rough area & i made it out and then went to a "white" college, so im very well rounded & balanced & that shows through my music. Im also unafraid to be myself, and im proud of my education and the fact that im a smart individual, alot of artist are musically sound but not so smart in the common sense of intellect, and then you have some of those who actually are very smart yet they try to downplay it to portray some type of persona that isn't really them.
TMC: What projects do you currently have in the works that you can tell us?
Dot Com: due to me taking this 1st 1/2 of the year to focus on finally getting my business foundation laid so i can truly pursue things on the career side , beginning in June i'll be releasing alot of free mixtapes , some conceptual, some just randomly put together with different djs, but some i can speak about will be "P.O.T.S (Prince Of The South)" , "For The Ladies Vol. 2" , & A Compilation Project with My team SSG
TMC: I seen a lot about "SuperStar Swag Gang" can you tell us a little bit about that?
Dot Com: we are a collective organization of individual superstars in our own right, we each possess that appeal that would have common folk approach us even if they didn't realize who we were, it's just something about us. we welcome all of our fans & supporters to take part in it, b/c it's not just music it's a lifestyle and all about carrying yourself with the swag of a superstar ! musically, we'll be putting out our first compilation project "#SwagSalute" this summer & i'll focus on marketing some of the top artists on the team.
TMC: Name some people you look up to when it comes to music?
Dot Com: my list is pretty typical i guess, but it's really 2pac, big, jayz, nas, eminem, some atypical ppl i look up to is james brown, michael jackson, prince, elvis & rick james , they were all some of the greatest entertainers ever and more-so then just a musician im an entertainer.
TMC: What's something people may not know about you?
Dot Com:i skipped the 2nd grade , i used to be a genius lol
TMC: What's next for Dot Com?
Dot Com: Well after finally getting official management & a budget everyone can expect me to takeover the region as fast as i took over my local market
